Family

Family is an institution, so goes the saying. But family is more than that. It is a relationship between human beings and putting importance to each other's welfare. On my side of the family, well, there isn't much to write about them, mainly because there are complicated matters. That, however, does not mean that my family, my relatives, are not important to me. They are.
Today I had one of the best days ever with my family. It is hard to write much about each of them. Suffice to say that, though we do not meet often, we more than made up for it with the laughter and meaningful chats we had this afternoon, all 6 hours of it. I am most grateful to have had the opportunity to meet up and to renew acquaintance with my cousins and their spouses, as well as their children. It was wonderful when we had so much fun talking and enjoying each other's company. We laughed the loudest when we had games - just playing Taboo and Pictionary. It was so wonderful that we got to bond as a family.
Although it was supposed to be a Diwali gathering, or a family gathering, it was indeed a good time that we had with one another. I appreciate the time and effort put into organising it. Thanks to my cousins, I got to talk to a very special someone for the very first time today. I have known of his existence for 27 years and seen him off and on occasionally. We have never spoken although we have been in the same place here and there. Blame it on sins of the previous generation. But I had longed to make peace ... not that there was war between us. I had longed to speak with him and get to know him, and let him get to know me. I had longed to have that sense of "family" with him. But it had never happened all these years. But it happened today. Although we did not have a long conversation, I spoke to him, and we had a short chat. I introduced him to my husband, my children. I could only feel that sense of "how I wish things were different" ... but this is good enough. A wonderful start. I hope he will continue to keep in touch. I hope he will not just keep to himself and not communicate. I am, afterall, his family, and he is my family.